Govt to fast-track environment clearance for border roads and defence projects

The government will give approval for the border roads and defence projects in the areas up to 100 km from Line of Actual Control (LAC) on a fast-track mode, without hampering environment conservation, minister of state for environment, forests and climate change, Prakash Javadekar, said.

Javadekar said that his ministry is preparing a policy framework to fast-track projects of strategic importance.

He was addressing the press during his visit to Paryavaran Bhawan. Earlier, the minister had a meeting with the defence secretary and other senior officials from the environment ministry.

The minister said the move was intended to reduce the delays caused by the process of environmental clearances, particularly for the defence projects. It was an effort intended to make simpler, transparent and predictable process for environmental clearances. Going forward, he said, the ministry would take decisions rooted in the policy framework rather than making case-by-case decisions. The details of the policy framework would be worked out soon and the document would be put in the public space, he added.